Ground profile estimation for sensor data

Abstract

Inaccurate sensor data, such as by caused by reflections, may skew ground profile estimations that identify a profile or plane associated with a surface, such as a roadway. Correcting a ground profile that was based on inaccurate sensor data may include determining a location at which a slope of the ground profile meets or exceeds a maximum slope, determining a line associated with the location and having a slope of a magnitude equal to the maximum slope, and using the line to determine a subset of sensor data points that lies outside a region defined by the line. The subset of sensor data points that lies outside the region may be excluded from the set of sensor data points used to generate ground profile(s) and a new ground profile may be determined using the set of sensor data points, less the subset of sensor data points.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving sensor data from a sensor associated with an autonomous vehicle; 
 receiving a set of waypoints from a first system of the autonomous vehicle through which the autonomous vehicle is to travel; 
 determining, by a second system of the autonomous vehicle and based at least in part on a first subset of the sensor data associated with the set of waypoints, a first ground profile; 
 determining that a first slope associated with a first location along the first ground profile meets or exceeds a maximum slope; 
 determining, based at least in part on the maximum slope, a line associated with the first location; 
 determining a sensor data point that, when connected with the first location, defines a line having a slope exceeding the maximum slope; 
 determining a second subset of the sensor data based at least in part on excluding the sensor data point from the first subset of the sensor data; 
 determining, by the second system and based at least in part on the second subset of the sensor data, a second ground profile; 
 determining, by the second system and based at least in part on the second ground profile, a validity of the set of waypoints; and 
 controlling the vehicle based on the validity of the set of waypoints. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 determining the validity of the set of waypoints comprises detecting an object based at least in part on the second ground profile; and 
 the method further comprises controlling the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the detected object. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the line further comprises:
 determining, based at least in part on the maximum slope, a preliminary line having the maximum slope associated with the first location; and 
 shifting the preliminary line vertically to define the line. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 determining the line further comprises determining a first line and a second line; and 
 the first line is positively sloped and the second line is negative sloped. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein excluding the sensor data point comprises down-weighting or masking the sensor data point for generating the second ground profile. 
     
     
       6. A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 a memory storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
 receiving sensor data from a sensor associated with a vehicle; 
 determining, based at least in part on the sensor data, a first ground profile; 
 determining that a first slope associated with a first location along the first ground profile meets or exceeds a maximum slope; 
 determining, based at least in part on the maximum slope, a line associated with the first location; 
 determining a sensor data point that, when connected with the first location, defines a line having a slope exceeding the maximum slope; 
 determining a subset of the sensor data based at least in part on excluding the sensor data point from the sensor data; 
 determining, based at least in part on the subset of the sensor data, a second ground profile; 
 determining, based at least in part on the second ground profile, a validity of a set of waypoints; and 
 controlling the vehicle based on the validity of the set of waypoints. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the operations further comprise receiving the set of waypoints from a first system of the vehicle; 
 a second system determines the first ground profile and the second ground profile based at least in part on the set of waypoints; and 
 the second system determines the validity of the set of waypoints. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 6 , wherein:
 determining the validity of the set of waypoints comprises detecting an object based at least in part on the second ground profile; and 
 the operations further comprise controlling the vehicle based at least in part on the detected object. 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 detecting an object based at least in part on the second ground profile; and 
 controlling the vehicle based at least in part on the detected object. 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 6 , wherein determining the line further comprises:
 determining, based at least in part on the maximum slope, a preliminary line having the maximum slope associated with the first location; and 
 shifting the preliminary line vertically to define the line. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 6 , wherein:
 determining the line further comprises determining a first line and a second line; and 
 the first line is positively sloped and the second line is negative sloped. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 6 , wherein excluding the sensor data point comprises down-weighting or masking the sensor data point for generating the second ground profile. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the subset of sensor data points is a first subset of data points and wherein the operations further comprise determining a corridor associated with the set of waypoints, wherein the first ground profile and the second ground profile are further based at least in part on a second subset of sensor data points within a width of the set of waypoints. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 6 , wherein determining the first ground profile further comprises one of:
 determining a previous path associated with a previous operation of the vehicle, 
 determining a position of an axle of the vehicle, or 
 determining a nearest location to the vehicle along the previous path that is associated with a slope that is less than or equal to a maximum slope. 
 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 receiving sensor data from a sensor associated with an vehicle; 
 determining, based at least in part on a the sensor data, a first ground profile; 
 determining that a first slope associated with a first location along the first ground profile meets or exceeds a maximum slope; 
 determining, based at least in part on the maximum slope, a line associated with the first location; 
 determining a sensor data point that, when connected with the first location, defines a line having a slope exceeding the maximum slope; 
 determining a subset of the sensor data based at least in part on excluding the sensor data point from the sensor data; 
 determining, based at least in part on the subset of the sensor data, a second ground profile; 
 determining, based at least in part on the second ground profile, a validity of a set of waypoints; and 
 controlling the vehicle based on the validity of the set of waypoints. 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the operations further comprise receiving the set of waypoints from a first system of the vehicle; 
 a second system determines the first ground profile and the second ground profile based at least in part on the set of waypoints; and 
 the second system determines the validity of the set of waypoints. 
 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein:
 determining the validity of the set of waypoints comprises detecting an object based at least in part on the second ground profile; and 
 the operations further comprise further comprises controlling the vehicle based at least in part on the detected object. 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 detecting an object based at least in part on the second ground profile; and 
 controlling the vehicle based at least in part on the detected object. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein:
 determining the line further comprises determining a first line and a second line; and 
 the first line is positively sloped and the second line is negative sloped. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein determining the first ground profile further comprises one of:
 determining a previous path associated with a previous operation of the vehicle, 
 determining a position of an axle of the vehicle, or 
 determining a nearest location to the vehicle along the previous path that is associated with a slope that is less than or equal to a maximum slope.